The town of Lodgepole is
the second, oldest town in Cheyenne county. It had the first
newspaper, the first bank, first business house, and first post
office in the county outside of Sidney. School district No. 4 was
located there, which is the second district organized within the
present limits of the county. Its high character of morality, and
its religious and educational institutions appeal to people who
are looking for a permanent abiding place.
There are now resident there some excellent
people who came and located when the cattlemen occupied, the wide
domain. They have adopted the newer standards of an ownership of
acreage, instead of the open range.
There are the first grangers also, who came and
remained through the years of stress, a number of which are yet
residents after the lapse of a third of a century. Here was born
the first white boy in that part of the county; Guy C. Newman.
Here also is Col. A. B. Persinger and his Hardscrabble ranch. Here
two of the names that mean much to early history of the region
were recently united in marriage. Not the younger generation, but
the principals who were in the drama of early Years. A. B.
Persinger, aforesaid, was a ranchman of the seventies, while Mrs.
G. H. Jewett, the bride, was the widow of the first state senator
from the Panhandle of Nebraska. He it was who built the first
bridge across the South Platte river at Big Springs in the early
eighties.
At Lodgepole also is the veteran editor, J. V.
Wolfe, who for so long, directed the destinies of the Express,
recently retiring in favor of Claude Grisham, who is keeping a
standard of excellence. This paper was established about 1884.
Lodgepole also had to its credit one of the
state's best members of the legislature in 1917- 1919, and who in
1921 became regent of the State University, William L. Bates.
Fred Lehmkuhl is another Lodgepole name

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183

that runs steadily through the progress of town, county,
and community welfare, from the very beginning. J.R. Young. is
still another long familiar name, a pioneer in merchandising, and
always forefront for the good of the town.
F. H. Wolf cashier of the Cheyenne County Bank,
can tell you stories of forty years ago, when he and his brother
Ed, Were two of the four pupils attending the first school (a
private school) held in the old wreck of a depot at Chappell where
John O'Neil, the station master, gave him his first lesson.
Lodgepole is located on the Union Pacific
railroad near the cast line of Cheyenne county. It is beautifully
located, surrounded by many
natural meadows in which are many lakes made by daming Lodgepole
creek. This locality is popular with hunters from the eastern part
of the state. The town lies in the valley which has a gentle rise
to the north and south. It has a park which was established by the
railroad, is well kept and has a band stand. A statue of Lincoln
marks the spot where Lodgepole's first school house stood, now the
center of the park.

North Side of Sheldon Street, Lodgepole

The station was first established when the
railroad built through the county. At first it was very small,
just a section house and improvised depot. Not until 1882 or 1883
was there any town. A school was established in 1879.
Merchandising came later when the country began to settle up with
permanent, farmers. Year by year more homes have been erected and
since the introduction of wheat as the main crop Lodgepole has
prospered. Irrigation has led to the growing of potatoes and other
produce which has given the surrounding country an impetus which
is reflected in the town. After its incorporation and the good
years of plenty, sidewalks were laid. Miles of concrete walks were
laid, and an electric light plant and water system were
established that render excellent service and give Lodgepole a
metropolitan aspect. The electric plant and water works are housed
in the same building. Lodgepole has a modern school house of cut
stone and it is rated one of the best in the county. Lumber and
coal yards have been established, elevators to handle the grain,
hardware and implement houses have been started and furnished the
country side with all machinery and articles needed by the
farmers. The leading mercantile house was started, in 1888 by a
Mr. Young and a large fine building was erected to house the store
in 1892. It is an establishment of which Lodgepole may well be
proud. A furniture store was one of the early business houses,
established by E. Fenske, also handling hardware, harnesses and
monuments and for years he operated the elevator. Lodgepole was
established as a post office some years after the railroad was
built and for years L. R. Barlow, one of the early settlers was
postmaster. Today Lodgepole is one of the attractive and
prosperous towns of the Panhandle and with its rich surrounding
country has thrived and

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grown into one of the good shipping and trading points on
the Union Pacific.
Lodgepole's shipment of wheat in 1920 totaled
three hundred and forty-four cars, approximating a value of
$60,000. Last year (1919) the value of wheat shipments was around
$80,000.

POTTER

Potter, situated in the western part of
Cheyenne county, midway north and south, is located on the Union
Pacific railroad, not far from the western boundary. It owes its
existence and early establishment to the railroad, built in 1870,
was the only building in Potter for a number of years and was at
one time, station, post office, and school room as the first
school was held in this building with a teacher from Omaha. The
county around Potter station was used first by the cattlemen but
gradually some settlers came. Among the men prominentin setting up
this locality was the Reverend Charles Anderson, who lived at
Sidney but was active in locating people in the Potter district.
Another family prominent in the promotion of the town was the
Brotts, (Andrew and Lewis.) and their families. They established
the first hardware store on the corner where the Citizens' State
Bank now stands and also built the building first used for the
post office after it was removed from the station. William and
Andrew McAdam built on the corner where the James Lumber Company
now has on office. They were engaged in the furniture business.
The McAdams also built the old school house which stood for years
on school house hill, which was later removed and used for a hotel
on Main street. This old school was built about 1887 or 1888, but
after being removed from the station the first school was held in
a small frame building where the Thornburg house was built later.
The teacher then was Miss Mary O. Strong. By this time Potter has
quite a few houses and was becoming a village. One of the first
postmasters was Fred Nelson. The old livery barn was built by
Frank Hyde and was one of the oldest buildings in Potter outside
the section house and depot. He dug a well, the first in Potter,
and put up a tank and windmill, and even went so far as to pipe
water to some of the buildings and houses, installing the first
water system in the town, though it was primitive, and of simple
construction.

High School, Lodge Pole, Nebr.

Civic advancement began in real earnest in
1885, when the first hotel was built just west of Thornburg's
building, O.L. Erickson being the proprietor. By 1889 Potter was
thriving

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185

it had two grocery stores, two hardware stores, a
newspaper called the Potter Press, one hotel, one restaurant, one
blacksmith shop, a furniture store and a feed-store. About this
time the Lutheran church was built in practically its present form
except, for the tower and some interior changes. Mr. D. Shultz was
one of the prominent men in its organization. The. Potter Press
was short lived and within a couple of years Potter was without a
paper. Later the Potter Review was started but was likewise
abandoned. A third attempt was made when H. Stevens was hired by
some enterprising men to reestablish the Review and has been
published ever since under that name.
By 1890 the farmers who had settled around
Potter began to raise grains, mostly wheat and 'oats and as 1892
was a good year, Potter had to build grain storage houses but not
of the type used today. Everything seemed bright for the young
village of Potter but the droughts of 1893 to 1895 made great
changes. Many settlers left the country and the small country
towns suffered from the migration and hard times. Some better
years followed but made little change in Potter. After the section
homestead bill was passed Potter began to look up a little and, in
1907, the first bank was organized, before which the people of
Potter had to bank at Sidney. The next few years saw great changes
in Potter, new stores were erected, the Gunderson hotel was built.
Dr. Ames put up a building and the Potter State Bank, after
organization, was located in a new building.
In the meantime Potter was incorporated and
began to put in sidewalks. Bonds were voted and municipal light
and water systems were established. The Union Pacific railroad
built a new station and tank, while the farmers organized and put
up a large grain elevator; later they also erected a flour mill.
Mr. Seyfang projected a theatre building and hall for the growing
town. New additions were laid out while many fine homes were
constructed. Farming was prosperous and was reflected in the
growth and development of the town, so that today it is one of the
prosperous young towns of the Panhandle with great opportunities
for bigger and still better expansion.
The Lutheran church is of stone with furnace
heat. It has a large membership with a resident. pastor. The
Methodist church also has a large membership with resident
minister and both organizations have societies for church
work.
Potter's school has developed from the old
station where it was organized by Joseph Oberfelder, when county
superintendent in 1883, to two rooms in the late eighties and
about 1915 to four rooms well equipped, in a brick, structure with
basement,gymnasium, domestic science and clay molding.
In the winter of 1886-1887 the grangers to the
north used to bring in red cedar posts and trade for
groceries.
During that winter I was in Potter a number of
times on that mission. The first time was with George Hendricks. I
believe we broke the road just about as it now stands. I am sure
our little pony team was the first to go up that hill with a wagon
out of Big Horn canyon on the east side of the place where the
principal road now runs. We crossed Lawrence Fork at the same
point this road now occupies. We were unable to sell or trade the
posts in Potter and drove to Sidney, where we made the necessary
exchange with A. Pease, then in business there. On the way in I
shot and wounded an antelope, but had only the one cartridge and
could not complete the job, for it could still travel.
In some way while there Hendricks managed to get
a pair of soldier blankets and a United States rifle, inveigling
them out of some dissolute soldier. Soldiers were forbidden to
sell them but occasionally they needed the money and risked doing
so.
Another time in Potter with Martin Draper, we
were in a store, and there was a little kitten playing on the
counter. Unless one has been used to the domestic animal life of
older communities, and has been transplanted into a wilderness
where only wild life exists one cannot understand the yearning and
home- sickness for old associates, when reminded of them.
This feeling proved too strong for Draper and he
surreptitiously slipped the kitten into his overcoat pocket. It
was taken out to Pumpkin creek, the first domestic cat in the
present Banner county limits.
The Potter Review calls that town the "biggest
little city in Nebraska," which is emphasized by the character of
its numerous business houses of today, Among these are Farmers
Union Trading Company, Johnson-Cords Company, Thornburg &
Hager, Housen, Seyfang Mercantile Company, Potter Lumber Company,
Johnson's Implement & Feed Store, Potter Grain Company, Jones
Furniture Store, Central Market, Potter Bakery, Gunderson's Hotel,
Seyfang Theatre, The City Garage, Hite's Transfer and numerous
others.
The two banks have substantially aided in the
progress of the community, furnishing credit for the rapid
expansion of agriculture

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People

and the development of the raw prairie into magnificent
fields of wheat.
At one time in the county division agitation a
"Potter county" was proposed. This proposal which left Sidney on
the edge of two counties had much to do with Sidney's sudden
change of heart in 1888, and brought that city to support the
five-county plan, which carried.
In 1920 Potter shipped 375 cars of wheat, of a
value of approximately $700,000, a drop of probably one-third from
last year's total cash, but twenty-five percent of the wheat is
yet in the farmers' bins.

DALTON

The high divide north of Sidney was
traversed by the overland stage, pony express, and western bound
emigrants, before Sidney existed. The Jules Cut-off from the South
Platte valley at Fort Sedgewick (now Julesburg) went up Lodgepole
creek to near the present site of the town of Lodgepole. Here it
crossed the divide to Mud Springs (now Simla) then up the North
Platte river on the other old trails.
After the coming into existence of the town of
Sidney cattlemen locating in the "North River" county opened new
roa4s across the empire of buffalo grass. Then the Black Hill's
trade made one of them of high importance.
A handicap to this territory from the settlement
point of view was lack of water. "The Water Holes" offered the one
spot where it was possible to obtain shallow water. The freighters
and stage routers had located this spot and put down some
wells.
So the first locating on the divide aside from
timber claims, was in this vicinity, that they could haul water
until such a time as they could dig a well. As water was two
hundred to three hundred feet below the surface, well-digging was
no small undertaking. These "Water Holes" were some distance
southwest of the present town of Dalton. Eventually such beautiful
lands were destined to become homes; they were settled upon by
homesteaders, many of whom are yet to be found in the prosperous
community. At first wells were dug at rare intervals, but later
the drill, the windmill, and the gasoline engine have solved the
water problem.
The Burlington in 1920 projected its line south
from Alliance to the North Platte river, establishing Bridgeport,
then up the North river to Guernsey. It connected Bridgeport with
Denver by way of Sidney. The stations on the divide were Dalton,
Gurley and Huntsman.
Dalton led off in progress and enterprise, and
was a town of growing importance in proportion to the acreage of
buffalo grass that was plowed up, and the acres of wheat sown.
Dalton is located on one of the high points in
the county and commands a beautiful view. Twenty-five years ago
this site was a field of grass; a wagon road leading from the
river country wound through this territory, and the location was
visited by a party of eastern men, as they passed over the divide
in a freighter's wagon, for Sidney was then the first town south
of Alliance. On reaching the "highest point," where Dalton, "Queen
of the Prairie," today lifts her head, the men stood up and asked
why the country was not farmed better and why better stock was not
raised

Blind Cannon Near Point of Rocks

and the driver responded that farming did not pay. Great has
been the change from that day to this for Dalton is now surrounded
by a rich, productive agricultural district. Only three years
after the travelers passed the Burlington railroad was built
through Cheyenne county and a side track and section house were
established on the top of the notch of the divide and named
Dalton. Shortly afterward a man put up a store and scales and the
scattered people who lived in the district began to come. in for
supplies saving the longer trip to Sidney. Then settlers east of
Dalton told that they had been raising enough wheat and grain for
their use. Other farmers questioned why large fields would not
yield as well as small ones. Macaroni wheat was introduced, which
had drouth resisting qualities. Farmers remembered the years of
1893 and 1895, which were well nigh rainless. The pioneer
merchant, W. S. Woolsey, became busy and prosperous and another
man ventured into the station town to establish the Clough store.
During this period farms grew closer to the village and a small
school was established. From

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187

this time the town grew; gradually more buildings of good
and permanent character were built for commercial purposes. Livery
and feed barns sprang up to accommodate the farmers; the post
office was established in the Woolsey store; J. A. Walford and C.
B. Shanks ran a grocery and meat market; the Bridgeport Lumber
Company established a lumber yard under the management of Jesse
Ewing, and J. C. Franden opened a drug store, while Dr. A. E.
Hedlund was the early physician to open an office, and enjoyed a
good practice. Not long after, when farm lands began to sell, H.
C. Anderson opened a real estate office. The busy blacksmith shop
was conducted by Herman Martin and a hardware and furniture store
by Charles Veith; a confectionery store by H. C. Christensen and a
livery and im- plement house by C. W, Handley. J. B. Hire managed
a restaurant while A. P. Gustin operated a pool hall and barber
shop. The garage of Dalton was opened by Ben Carter, while his
wife was in charge of the telephone exchange. Steve Davis, the
well driller, was a busy man.
Dalton supports four lodges, all of which are
thriving; they are the Workmen, the Woodmen, the Yeomen and the
Royal Neighbors. Since the town was incorporated many cement
sidewalks have been laid which makes the business and residence
property most attractive. The Bridgeport Lumber Company
established a plumbing and tinware department, always busy and a
number of carpenters are active building the new residences with
the increase of population.
With the increase in agricultural products it
was necessary to have means to handle the immense quantities of
grain shipped from Dalton and three of its four elevators were
built more than ten years ago; the Central which was then
conducted by Ray Clough; the Farmers Cooperative, managed by H.
Harmuch, and the Foster Milling Company conducted by James
Morrison.
D. R. Jones & Company are large realty
dealers of Dalton; they have handled several hundred families in
farms and also deal in city property. Due to the growing business
Mr. Jones took into partnership in 1913, A. J. Jorgenson, who had
been the local manager of the McNish Land Company. The Western
Realty Company was organized in 1906 with W. E. Swartzlander as
president. This company always had a large list of farm properties
for sale or rent with automobiles ready to take the prospective
buyer to look at land.
Today Dalton is well represented in church work
and civil improvement institutions. It is remarkable the growth
the town has had within such a short period, and as it serves an
agricultural community all its business is necessarily such as
supplies the wants of the farms and the progressive owners who
trade in Dalton. Its main business street has many good and
attractive business houses; the stores are up-to-date in stock
equipment and service and all are doing a fine business.
A traveler arriving by train sees the two-story
hotel just across the street from the station. It is enjoying a
fine trade and already is growing small for the accommodation of
the traveling public. This house was conducted by W.N. Foster who
also kept a ranch ten miles from town.
Dalton now has a population of about three
hundred and fifty, two excellent banks, and four elevators. Its
mercantile interests are well represented. The Farmers and
Merchants Bank, and the Dalton State Bank look after financial
affairs, which is an undertaking in the wheat town where elevators
of the capacity of those at Dalton are in evidence. Three hundred
and forty-one cars of wheat were shipped from Dalton of the 1920
crop to the close of the year. In 1919 the shipments were four
hundred and twenty-one cars. The value last year was about
$1,000,000. but this year's wheat shipments fell off in value as
well as quantity, being probably $600,000. About thirty percent of
the crop remains unsold.

GURLEY

Gurley, the next town of importance in the
progress of Cheyenne county, is five or six miles south of Dalton.
It has two banks and is otherwise represented in a business way.
Gurley shipped two hundred and fifty-two cars of wheat in
1920.
There was a drop in production in 1920, but
owing to the lack of cars there was also a short shipment. This
year's crop is only seventy percent marketed, thirty percent being
in local elevators and farmer's bins.
The character of the country about Gurley is a
continuation of the Dalton community.

HUNTSMAN

Huntsman lies still further south on this
tableland, and nearer to Sidney. The town has a bank and
mercantile facilities. There being no station agent the grain
shipments and other products are billed from and included in the
report of the Burlington at Sidney.

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History of Western Nebraska and Its
People

LORENZO

Lorenzo is near the Colorado line
south of Sidney on the "South Table" as it is called, but is of
little commercial interest, except as a shipping station. Its
freight business is like wise handled by the Burlington agent at
Sidney. The "South Table" did not come into importance until after
the "North Table" had been settled. The first homesteaders were
attracted north on account of the pine and cedar forests that
covered the rough lands, supplying fuel and, building materials
for the first important needs.
Along the Lodgepole valley on the Union Pacific
railway, aside from Sidney, Lodgepole and Potter, there are in
Cheyenne county a number of shipping points., Colton and Bronson
are cared for by the agent at Sidney.

SUNOL

Sunol has an individual identity, and
its quota in the shipment of wheat in 1920 was one hundred and six
cars, valued at about $250,000. It has a bank, stores and garage,
being on the Lincoln Highway.
Government statistics put the total wheat
product of Cheyenne county at 2,900,000 bushels for 1920.
Shipments, however, were in excess of that amount. Conservative
figures show a total of 2,111 cars of wheat shipped out, or about
3,100,000 bushels, and that represents but seventy percent of the
crop. The other thirty percent on hand will bring a grand total
yield in 1920 of around four and one-half million bushels. Sidney
and the stations handled from there shipped 693 cars.
Of the 2,111 cars shipped, 1,197 went over the
Union Pacific, and 914 over the Burlington, the difference being
due to better railroad and car service.
The Lincoln Highway traverses the county east
and west, paralleling the Union Pacific railway, and a highway
from Denver and Sterling north, passes through Sidney. Its
connections are with the North Platte Valley Road, Yellowstone
Road, and the Black Hills.
Important community centers in Cheyenne county
were established and post offices located, but generally these
have given way to rural routes from railroad stations, and the
automobile has shortened the time between the railroad and the
interior communities.